Education
The Education sector is constantly evolving, beset by ongoing changes to government policy, mergers, challenging financial outlook and increased demands from its regulators, causing many leaders to evolve their approach and their thinking to ensure the longer-term viability of their institutions.
As is widely agreed, the sector must continually evolve its operational base to meet the needs of employers and students in a sustainable fashion. The business model for successful education, skills and training providers of the future requires a dexterity in approach that is adaptable to changing policy, whilst delivering a tailored solution that students need and employers want to buy. Increasingly, senior leaders are struggling with the operational challenges with the need to raise standards, adapt their offering and improve outcomes for learners, all with fewer resources.
Clarity of leadership has never been so important across Education, and the need to balance the commercial tensions with the needs of students and employers from a curriculum perspective is not easy. Dodd Partners are connected to national policy makers and have supported the Education sectors over several years (FE/HE/PTPs) to bring balance to their leadership teams. We understand, perhaps more than most, the importance of attracting leaders who can make the transition into the sector and add value, whilst retaining the unique curriculum, teaching and learning skills that deliver against strategic objectives, set against employer, regional and increasingly national objectives.
Social Enterprise
The Not-for-Profit and Charities sectors have changed immeasurably over the past 10 years, seeking to bring a more transparent and commercial approach to their working practices to drive operational efficiencies whilst maximising their reach and influence. Funding continues to be a challenge from the outputs of government austerity to recent events of Brexit and Covid-19. With less reliance on traditional funding sources, it is now essential that organisations have a sharper focus on the customer experience whilst diversifying their revenue streams.
Today’s candidate base is much more knowledgeable about the opportunities that reside across the sector from Arts to Charities, Housing and Historic Institutions to Trade Bodies and the wider Care Sector. They better appreciate the complexity of such sectors and the scale of challenges they can face, which can neatly play into their longer-term career plans. Candidates today are less motivated by financial return; more often, they seek a fulfilling role where their commercial expertise can add value and shape strategy within an organisation that makes the world a better place.
At Dodd Partners, we understand this increasingly attractive route and have spent many years supporting such individuals in their pursuit of a more fulfilling and rewarding career, whilst helping clients better understand the benefits and challenges that appointing such individuals can bring.
Finance
Dodd Partners have over 25 years’ experience working across both the Private and Public sector markets to build transformative finance functions that add value and shape strategic thinking.
From this experience, we understand that the very best organisations appreciate the need to embed financial management skills throughout, so that every decision is underpinned by its financial implications. However, such change does not come easily or quickly and requires commitment at the highest level. Finance is the tool that shapes thinking and delivers the metrics to drive operational change and strategic growth; in today’s changing world such attributes are essential.
Our Finance knowledge and experience is not limited to key strategic roles. We have a wealth of technical experience and functional knowledge across numerous sectors, shaping attitudes and driving increased accountability, providing non-finance professionals with an understanding that transforms performance.